Btybo patebmann



Patented Jan. 27, 1931 PATENT orifice l MYRO '.PATERMANN, OF ZEHLIENDORF, GrlER]llI.AI\l'Y CAN OPENER Application led August 4, 1927, Serial No. 210,697, and in GermanyJune 18, 1927.

The can openers hitherto known either cut out the lidat the top or else cut it away by acting'on the side below the closure flap. In both cases small cuttings of sheet metal are 5 released by the cutting process, frequently as a result of unskilful manipulation, and these find their way into the contents of the can and give rise to ill health, quite apart from the injuries, sometimes very severe, which may be caused by the canopener slipping during the cutting. The present can opener obviates these disadvantages of the appliances hitherto known, owing to the fact that the lid of the can is cut out or punched out by an annular knife adapted to the shape of thecan in such a way that the cutting operation is effected and terminated with a direct or indirect pressure or blow upon the knife. The most inexperienced kitchen maid, or even a child can open a .can of preserves with this tin opener without effort and without practice. The possibility of either straight or zig-zag pieces of sheet metal projecting outwards, as is fre'- quently the case when opening a can with the known can openers, is entirely precluded when the can is opened in this manner. Such rojections'frequently cause serious injuries to the hands. In order to facilitate the cutting out of the annular knife is provided all round with knife points. Such can openers are in themselves known. According tothe present invention the can opener is so constructed that it can be adapted to tins of all sizes, both as regards height and as regards diameter, and furthermore the cans to be opened are held firmly in such 'a way that after the cutting out of the lid has been effected, the can cannot be lifted up by the knife, which is then moved upwards again. A

According to the invention the knife is exchangeably mounted on a lever, which is adjustable to any desiredv height on a rod. V This rod is equipped with a plate upon which the cans to be opened are placed, and is equipped underneath the plate with an arm for the reception ofaclarnping screw. The plate that carries the cans is suitably equipped for holding them fast. l

lid as much as possible, the

` ably resilient pin f,

One constructional form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein x Fig. 1 is a side elevation lpartly in section,

Fig. 2is a section on the line A-B in Fig. l, 55

Fig. 3 is a section on the line C-D in Fig. l, I,

Figs. 4. and 5 show in front elevation and in plan respectively one constructional form ofthe plate for carrying the tins, and

Fig. 6 shows a slight-ly modified form of 60 the knife. Y

The can opener comprisesran annular knife a, which is removably secured toa preferably domed or lid-shaped holder b. For the purpose of facilitating penetration into the lid, the knife' is provided with a plurality of knife points c arranged at uniform distances apart, and these knife points lie in the same plane, so that they come into action simultaneously.l Alternatively the knife points c may be stepped, according to Fig. 6,so as to lie in different horizontal planes. The knife holder I) is connected to a hanging member b pivotally connected with a lever d, the connection between the knife holder and the hanging member being releasable so as to enable the knife to be exchanged for a similar knife of a different size. The lever d is pivotally attached to a small sliding member or truck e. The truck e is slidable upon a Vertical rail g, and can be secured at various heights 'to the rail g by the aid of a preferwhich can be introduced into holes L in the rail g. On the rail g is also mounted towards the lower end a plate Z for the reception of the can to be opened,y and below the latter there is an arm m provided with a clamping screw n, so that the can opener can be clamped to the edge of a table top.

According to Figs. l and 2 the plate. has on its upper side a plurality of concentric circular steps Z, which correspond in their diameters with the diameters of the usual cans o, so that each can is immediately correctly positioned in relation to the knife a. :In order to prevent the cans from being lifted oif the plate by the knife a when the latter is raised after a out has been made, they are clamped by means of an eccentric p, which is provided .with a handle and can be inserted with its pivot into any one of various holes pin the plate l, according to the size of the particular can to be opened.

In the constructional form of the plate Z shown in Figs. 4 and 5', the edges of the steps A with thickenings at both ends is slidably ar- 'ranged in a projecting lug ron the knife holder, and passes through a hole in the `domed cover b and serves to push out the cutout lid of the can sticking in the knife a. The pegu q carries above the lug or projection r a sprmg g which holds it in a raised position'. Under these circumstances however the pe g still extends through the hole in the cover for it still has to lock the connection between the cover b carrying the knife a and the hanging member b', this connection consisting of a simple bayonet joint. The lever d has towards its lower end an elongated closure head d', shown in Figs. 1 and 3, which can pass through a corresponding slot into the cover b, after which the cover b is rotated relatively to the lever d, as in the case of an ordinary bayonet joint. After this rotation, the previously raised pegg can enter the hole in the cover b, so that now Y ing of the cover Z is ossible. Hence for the changing of the kni e the lifted out of the cover b, w b can be turned relatively the purpose of releasing the bayonet joint.

T e method of working the new can opener will readily be under .tood on referring to the accompanying drawings.

The can opener is fitted to a table top, up-

lpeg g must first be ereupon the cover to the lever d for on which the carrying 'plate Z bears, after knife a to the 'ameter of the tin, is forced into the lid of thetin by pressing upon-the lever d,

which the clamping screw n is screwed rmly from below against the table top. The can o' to be o cned is then placed in one of the steps of t e carrying plate Z andclamped b means of'the eccentric p. The`lever d is justed on the rail g by means of the truck e' according to the h ight of the tin in the manner previously escribed. Thereupon the which is likewise selected according vwhich is provided with a handle, so that the part of the lid located within the knife a is cut out o'r punched out. It is advisable tojgrind the cutting edges of the knife a in such a way. thgtptha'knife is completely smooth on its -in- Y ner sidefo thatin this way the beveling of the knife arisingl from the grinding is located at purpose of removing from lthe no accidental turnthe outside. Consequently the cut-out lid element remains sticking in the annular knife a by friction, so that when the cover AZ5 is raised the cut-out lid element is removed from the can at the same time and the can is completelyV opened. The cut-out lid element which has been raised lis ejected from the knifeby the aid of the peg g. The length of this peg g is such that it is pushed upwards by the top of the can during the cutting out of the lid. By pressingI upon the end of the peg g projecting above the knife holder b the cut-out lid is then ejected from the knife a.

In order that the can opener may take up as little room as possible when not in use, a ring a is engaged in a slot d in the lever d, and this yring can be passed over the end of the rod gafter rocking the lever d upwards, for the purpose of holding the lever fast in this position, as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 1. Instead of the ring s a hook might be provided, which would then be hooked into one of the holes h in the rod g.

In a can opener havingi abase plate for the reception of a can, an'upright support on said base plate having a truck member thereon, a leverpivoted .to said truck member and a hanging member pivotally connected to said lever, the combination with a knife holder and an annular knife secured thereto, said knife holder having a slot and a hole therein,

-of an elongated closure head on said hanging I knife holder, said pin being capable of ejecting the cut out piece of the-can from the annular knife, as and for the urposes set forth.

In testimony Owhereof f) have sighed my name to this specification.

MYRO PATERMANN.' 3 

